Infusion package manufacture



Dec. 2, 1947. BARNETT 2,431,680

INFUSION PACKAGE MANUFACTURE Filed-May 26, 1943 INVENTOR Patented Dec. 2, 1947 INFUSION PACKAGE MANUFACTURE Louis Barnett,

Brooklyn, National Urn Bag 00., Inc.,

N. Y., assignor to Long Island City,

N. Y., a corporation of New York Application May 26, 1943, Serial No. 488,529

11 Claims.

This invention relates to the manufacture of filled containers or bags and more particularly is directed to infusion packages, such as teaballs and the like articles of manufacture, and a novel method of producing same.

Among the objects of the invention is to generally improve the construction of filled containers or bags in the form of infusion packages as inexpensive articles of manufacture, which shall comprise few and simple parts, which shall be easy and cheap to manufacture, which shall be capaisle of quantity production on automatic high speed packaging machines, which preferably shall have peripheral joint seams retaining by heat sealing means and have incorporated wholly within the heat sealed joint seams border means to engage a suitable detachable suspension, and which article and method of manufacture thereof shall be practical and efficient to a high degree in use.

This application is a continuation in part of my application, Serial No. 380,628, filed February 26, 1941, for Infusion packages with handles and the method of manufacturing same, with modifications.

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out. The invention accordingly consists of features of constructions and method, combinations of elements, arrangements of parts and steps in the process of manufacture which will be exemplified in the constructions and method hereinafter described and of which the scope of the application will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawing in which are shown various possible illustrative embodiments of this invention,

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a squareshaped teaball manufactured to embody the invention, partly broken to expose the infusion product.

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken on lines 2-2 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing the mode of detachably supporting the improved teaball shown in Fig. 1 on a teaspoon.

Fig. 4 is a view like Fig. 1 showing a teaball with an attached tag.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing a teaball with narrow elongated attachment slots pro- Vided wholly within a portion of the border thereof embodying the invention.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing the mode of detachably suspending the improved teaball shown in Fig. 5 on the bowl end of a teaspoon.

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing a teaball with elongated attachment slits provided wholly within a portion of the border thereof embodying the invention.

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing a teaball with a V-shaped slit provided wholly within a corner thereof embodying the invention, and

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing a circular shaped teaball formed with an arcuate slit provided Wholly within a portion of the border thereof embodying the invention.

Referring to the drawing, 20 denotes an improved construction of a filled infusion package in the form of a square pillow-shaped teaball manufactured to embody the invention. The forms shown in Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, are identical with that described in my aforesaid copending application, Serial No. 380,628, and shown in Figs. 6 and 6-A thereof.

As seen from Fig. 1, the teaball 2i] may comprise a bag portion made of a strip of filter sheet material 2| folded over on itself to provide the foldedge 22 forming two superimposed layers, that is, overlying portions providing flattened sides of teaball 20 which are adhesively secured alon their marginal areas on the remaining three edge portions at the border joint seams or flanges 23, 24, and 25 to completely seal the teabag 20 which is partially filled with an essence containing product T, such as tea, forming the contents thereof.

The strip of sheet material 2| may be supplied from a suitable source in a form of a web of the required width (not shown) in the well understood manner, a sufficient length of said web being cut and folded to form the teaball bag, or precut strips of sheet material 2| of proper shape and size may form such supply source if desired.

Sheet material 2| is of foraminous construction, as for example, filter paper, perforated parchment paper or Cellophane, cotton gauze or the like. That used in the practice of the invention here described may comprise a filter paper base layer 2|a coated on one side with a thermosetting partially fused plastic lamina 2 lb of the character described in the patent of Theodore F. Menzel, No. 2,306,399, granted December 29, 1942, or of other suitable filter sheet base material suitably coated with a thermosetting plastic lamina for forming the heat sealed border joint seams or flanges 24 at the top, and 23 and 25 at the sides in the manner hereinafter more fully described.

A suitable filter paper sheet for forming base layer 2 la may be made of a vegetable fibrous pulp stock, said layer 2|a with thermosetting coating cl laminav Qib being such that when made into the teaball bag has sufficient wet strength to withstand immersion in boiling water without damage or disintegration and without undue loss of tensile strength. The filtering sheet material 2i comprising the layer 2m and coating Zlb when forming the teaball bags must be such as to permit ready infusion, that is, passage therethrough of the water of immersion for brewing and straining the fillin or tea contents T, said layer Zia, coating Zlb and flanges 23, 24 and 25 being of such composition that it is non-toxic, insoluble in hot boiling water, and impart no odor or taste even to the slightest degree to the brew.

It has been found in practice that a 6 /2 pound fibrous pulp stock sheet of approximately .001 inch thick of high wet tensile strength forms a practical filter paper layer 21a for the purposes described herein. On such layer 2 la a finely powdered copolymer of vinyl chloride and vinyl ace- ,tate may be uniformly sprinkled or sprayed,

partially fused by heat to 60 C. and pressure rolled thereon for, providing a satisfactory, p-ervious, dry and extremely thin coating or lamina 2 lb which does not materially affect the filtering 'capacityofthe layer Zia. Approximately three ounces of such vinyl powder for each pound of said layer Zia will form said coating or lamina 2Ib of normally less than .0005 inch thick.

The, sheet material 2|, when taken from a supply source in a continuous web is cut to the required size, made into teaball bags, and filled with the contents T, the teaball bags each hav-- ing the coating 2lbof the sheet material 2! positioned'on the interior surfaces thereof so that theborder edge joint seams or flanges 23, 20 and 25 are sealed by placing the coating portions thereof in face to face relation and applying pressure and heat to a fusion temperature by suitable clamping means of any well known construction. With .the coating or lamina 2!?) formed of the partially fused vinyl powder,

permanent sealing fusion will take place when pressureand heat of approximately 130 C. is applied.

In the manufacturing of fusion packages for .teaballsandthe like, it-has-heretofore been found desirable to use as part of the package some form of handle to manipulate the teaball during thebrewing operation which may be carried out in the service cup, and also to provide a tag whichbears alegend such as the name or trade- .mark of the manufacturer, grade of tea, etc. .Such handles were most frequently provided heretofore by a string or stitched thread attached to the teaball-bag, the free end of the string handle being terminated by a tag. The conventional provision of such string handles and tags or their equivalents in the construction of complete teaballs not only increase the cost of manufacturing .by employing various additional materials, but also complicates the production process by requiring additional steps in the manufacture thereof, and when made on high speed automatic machines necessitates the use of ex- ;pensive apparatus.

To simplify the method of manufacture and :to make availableless. expensive high speed automatic machines forthe production of teaballs with handling means and, if desired, with means for carryinglegends, teaball 20 after being made of conventional size andconstruction, as above so fardescribed and shown in Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive, with heat sealed joints or flanges 23, 24

.and25, is provided withan additional heat sealed .made by slotting the adjciningflangeedge portions 23a, 24a and 21, as shown in Fig. 1 during the heat sealing operations of said portions.

For making teaball 30 shown in Fig. 4, instead of slitting the flange portions 23a, 2 2a and 2'! to make-said opening 20a entirely free, a small length 20b ;of theperimeter of said opening 20a maybe left integrally attached toa suitably shaped section 200 inscribed within the split triangular shaped contour opening 20a. Said sec- ;tion 20c when retained may be folded out of its original plane in use, and may carry a legend embossed or printed thereon, as shown in Fig. 4.

In both forms of teaballs 2E! and 30 above described, theiportions23a and 24a of the flanges .23 and .24, respectively, serve as a bale handle for supporting the teaball in the brewing operation, and if desired, handle end of a teaspoon S may be inserted through the opening 20a to permit the bag or teaball 20 to be supported by the bowl of said teaspoon S, as shown in Fig. 3. The largest dimension of opening 200, preferably is made smaller than the shortest axis of the bowl of the spoon S. The teaball '20 may be steeped in a service cup and lifted for removal from said cup'by engaging the tip of the spoon bowl in opening 20a as shown in Fig. 6.

When the opening -20a of teaball 20 is located in one of the corners of a square shaped teaballiil 'and30, the diagonally opposite corner of the teaballbag when suspended by engagement with said opening 20a is positioned to become a drip control for the teaball.

It istobe understood that instead of making theteaball 20 square shaped, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, it may be made a circular or oval contour, as shown in Fig. 9 at I20, with a continuous heat sealed border'edge I23 and a slit opening l20a corresponding to opening 20a may be segment shaped or any other figuration suitableto form an integral bale handle I250 of the original bag structure of the teaball I20.

It may-be found desirable to provide more interior space in teaball bags for expansion of .the brewing contents thereof, or. certain constructions of conventional sized teaball making machine can best incorporate means for producing teaballs embodying the invention by providing slitted slot opening or openings located differently than as described above for teaballs 20,

353 and J20. To that end simplifiedjforms of the invention are made available in teaballs 40, and 60.

In teaball 00, just one-or more mere slits 40a are provided along mid portions -of edge seam joints-43, 44 and 45,-as shown in Fig. 7. In teaball 50, shown in Fig. 5, instead of providing mere slits 30a as in teaball .40, narrow slots 50 are provided. In .teaballtfl, shown in Fig. 8, a V-shaped slit a is located in one corner extending along seam joints 6354. The triangularshaped portionfific may serve as a tag like tag .portion 200 of teaball -30, shown in Fig.4.

In each of these constructions of teaballs 40,

'50 and 60 the available space within such teaballs for expansion is practically equivalent to thatprovided in teaballs of conventional size and construction and require no additional material whatsoever, yet makes available convenient handling means by afiording the utility of the usual teaspoon stirrer in place of a string handle or the like.

It will be noted that teaballs 2G, 36, 426, iii, 58 and 6% may be readily used with forms of stirrers (not shown) other than a teaspoon S in brewing beverages and the like, by engagement with openings 263a, 3011, MM, Mia, 50a and 56a respectively. Inexpensive detachable stirrers may be supplied with said teaballs as so-called premiums or as part of an advertisement feature.

The utility of the invention when constructed like teaballs 2d, 36, I28, 40, 5B and 60 described above, will now be apparent. The teaball bags may be manufactured in the usual manner, and instead of applying separate string handles and tags, a portion of heat sealed joint seams extending about the bag is slitted or slotted along a short portion thereof in the manner described above and shown in the drawing. Such teaballs are thereby provided with means for engaging stirrers, such as the tip or the bowl end 01' a teaspoon, as illustrated in Figs. 3 and 6. Because no additional material is needed to be incorporated into such teabail constructions or attached thereto, said teaballs can be made by the simplifled method above described at a high rate of speed in less expensively constructed automatic machines than is possible with the usual string handle and tag.

In the above described teaball constructions and all modifications embodying the invention after being slitted or slotted to provide openings for engaging teaspoons or other suitable stirring means leave the edge portions of the adjoining seam closures or joints of sufficient width or strength to positively retain the essence product enclosed when immersed in boiling water.

It is to be noted that all the forms of the invention herein described and shown are intended to be made with package bags in size and dimensions identical with those bags now in use with string handles and tags so that no more material for the bags are used in the construction of the teaballs than heretofore, yet eliminating the necessity for string handles and tags.

It is thus seen, therefore, that there is provided an improved method of operation and artieles in which the objects of the invention are achieved and which are well adapted to meet all conditions of practical use.

As various possible embodiments may be made in the above invention for use for different purposes and as various changes might be made in the embodiments and method above set forth, it is understood that all the above matters here set forth or shown in the accompanying drawing are to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Havin thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In a method of manufacturing infusion bag packages of conventional size and construction, each formed with a sealed marginal closure forming a border flange suflicient to retain the contents of the packages when immersed in boiling water, the step of slitting said flange wholly therein a length greater than the width of the handle end of a teaspoon and less than the smaller dimension of the bowl end of such teaspoon.

2. In a method of manufacturing infusion bag packages of conventional size and construction,

6 each formed with a sealed marginal closure forming a border flange suflicient to retain the contents of the packages when immersed in-boiling water, the step of slitting said flange at spaced distances apart wholly within said flange, each slit being of a length greater than the width of the handle end of a teaspoon and less than the smaller dimension of the bowl end of the teaspoon.

3. The step of in which said slitting provides an elongated slotted opening entirely surrounded by portion of the border flange.

4. In a method of manufacturing squareshaped infusion bag packages of conventional size and construction, each formed with sealed marginal closures on a plurality of edge seam joints forming a border flange sufficient to retain the contents of the'packages when immersed in boiling water, the step of slitting one of said edge seem joints forming a portion of said border flange at a mid portion thereof wholly within the flange structure a distance 'to provide an opening for engaging with a stirring means and with the sealing of the seam joint thereat intact.

5. In a method of manufacturing square- V shaped infusion bag packages of conventional size and construction, each formed with sealed marginal closures on a plurality of edge seam joints forming a border-flange sufiicient to retain the contents of the packages when immersed in boiling water, the step of slitting a plurality of said edge seam joints forming spaced portions of said border flange at a mid-portion of each of said edge seam joints and wholly within the flange structure for a distance to provide an opening for engaging with a stirring means and with the sealing of each seam joint about said opening intact.

6. In a method of manufacturing squareshaped infusion bag packages of conventional size and construction each formed with sealed marginal closures on a plurality of edge seam joints forming a border flange sufficient to retain the contents of the packages when immersed in boiling water, the step of slitting one corner at a junction of intersecting edge seam joints forming a portion of said border flange and wholly within the flange for a distance to provide an opening for engaging with a stirring means and with the sealing of the seam joint about said opening intact.

7. The step of the method defined in claim 6 in which said slitting provides a slotted opening totally surrounded by portions of the flange structure and an attached section of the slotted flange section disposed within said opening.

8. An infusion package of the character described adapted to be used with a rigid stirring means comprising two superimposed layers of fllter sheet material with an essence containing product interposed therebetween, marginal areas of said layers secured together to form a joint seam border sealing said product between said layers, said sealing border being split through a midportion thereof wholly within said border to provide through-opening of suflicient size for detachably engaging with said stirring means, the portions of said border surrounding said opening having the sealing of the seam joint thereat.

9. The infusion package defined in claim 8 in which a plurality of splittings are made at spaced distances along said border to form elongated the method defined in claim 1 7 through-openings for selective engagement with saidi'stirring means.

10. The infusion package defined in claim 8 in which said. package is square-shaped and said slot. formed of the slotted section cut from the border flange.

LOUIS BARNETT.

REFERENCES CITED The foliowinggreferencesrare of.recordwin the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,192,605 Salfisberg Mar. 5, 1940 2,272,530 Patterson Feb. 10, 1942 2,291,702 Downes Aug. 4,- 1942 2,149,713 Webber Mar. 7,1939 

